Birthmarks in Infants

A child’s pores and skin coloring can differ enormously primarily based on the newborn’s age, race or ethnic group, temperature, and whether or not or not the newborn is crying. Pores and skin colour in infants typically modifications with each the surroundings and their well being. A few of these variations are simply short-term. Others, comparable to sure birthmarks, could also be everlasting.

What are birthmarks?

Birthmarks are areas of discolored or raised pores and skin which might be current at delivery or inside a number of weeks of delivery. Birthmarks are made up of irregular pigment cells or blood vessels.

Though the reason for birthmarks is not identified, most of them are innocent and do not want therapy. Infants with birthmarks ought to be examined by your kid’s healthcare supplier, particularly if they’re:

Situated in the course of the again, alongside the backbone (could also be associated to spinal wire issues)

Giant and positioned on the face, head, or neck

Interfering with motion or different talents (as an example a birthmark on the eyelid that makes it laborious to see)

Some frequent birthmarks embody:

Birthmark

What it seems like

Stork bites, angel kisses, or salmon patches

These are small pink or crimson patches typically discovered between a child’s eyes or on their eyelids, higher lip, and again of the neck. The stork chunk title comes from the marks on the again of the neck the place, as the parable goes, a stork could have picked up the newborn. They’re attributable to a focus of immature blood vessels and would be the most seen when the newborn is crying. Most of those fade and disappear fully.

Congenital dermal melanocytosis (also called Mongolian spots)

These are blue, grey, or purple colour areas typically discovered on the newborn’s decrease again and buttocks. They’ll happen in darker-skinned infants of all races. The spots are attributable to a focus of pigmented cells. They often disappear within the first 4 years of life.

Strawberry hemangioma

This can be a vivid or darkish crimson, raised or swollen, bumpy space that appears like a strawberry. Hemangiomas are shaped by a focus of tiny, immature blood vessels. Most of those happen on the pinnacle. They might not seem at delivery, however typically develop within the first 2 months of life. Strawberry hemangiomas are extra frequent in untimely infants and in women. These birthmarks typically develop in dimension for a number of months after which slowly begin to fade. They might bleed or get contaminated in uncommon instances. Practically all strawberry hemangiomas fully disappear by age 9.

Port-wine stain

A port-wine stain is a flat, pink, crimson, or purple colour birthmark typically discovered on the pinnacle or neck. They’re attributable to a focus of tiny, dilated blood vessels referred to as capillaries. They might be small or cowl giant areas of the physique. Port-wine stains do not change colour when gently pressed. They do not go away over time and should change into darker and thicker as a baby will get older. Port-wine stains on the face could also be linked to extra critical issues. Pores and skin-colored cosmetics could also be used to cowl small port-wine stains. The best manner of treating port-wine stains is with a particular sort of laser.

Congenital moles

These moles are small (lower than 3 inches in diameter) and customary. They’re discovered on about 1 out of each 100 newborns. They get larger as a baby grows, however often do not trigger any issues. Your kid’s healthcare supplier will watch them carefully as in uncommon instances they’ll develop right into a cancerous mole.

On-line Medical Reviewer:
Dan Brennan MD

On-line Medical Reviewer:
Stacey Wojcik MBA BSN RN

On-line Medical Reviewer:
Tracy C. Garrett RNC-NIC BSN

Date Final Reviewed:
9/1/2023